Why Music Is Important in Basic Education
Learning music is good in itself but it does more to basic education. When a child learns to play a musical instrument, a child also learns self-control or regulation. A musical instrument requires the player to shift between mental and physical tasks. Playing with others also demands attention and synchronization. And to produce flawless texture, memory is important. To become proficient in playing a musical instrument necessitates practice and therefore discipline. Being able to play music can bring a sense of accomplishment to anyone and therefore can assist in improving an individual's self-confidence. Lastly, playing music together is about working together. Music is much more about collaboration than competition. All of these can easily translate to benefits in math, language and science subjects. And recent research demonstrates this.
By examining the records of more than one hundred thousand high school students in British Columbia, Martin Guhn, Scott D. Emerson, and Peter Gouzouasis have found that "students that were highly engaged in instrumental music were, on average, over 1 year ahead in their math, English, and science skills, compared with those peers not engaged in school music". The research published in the Journal of Educational Psychology definitely bolsters the importance of music education in our schools. The difference in Math and English scores between students engaged in instrumental music and students who are not is very significant.
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| At Mason Crest Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia, students as early as fourth grade can begin learning to be part of a strings orchestra. This is my daughter holding her viola. |
By examining the records of more than one hundred thousand high school students in British Columbia, Martin Guhn, Scott D. Emerson, and Peter Gouzouasis have found that "students that were highly engaged in instrumental music were, on average, over 1 year ahead in their math, English, and science skills, compared with those peers not engaged in school music". The research published in the Journal of Educational Psychology definitely bolsters the importance of music education in our schools. The difference in Math and English scores between students engaged in instrumental music and students who are not is very significant.
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